The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-07-21
THE MOBILE CAMPAIGN.


EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: NY attention
was called to the communication of O. v. Smith,
20. " Z4th Iowa, in a recent issue of YOUR
paper; especially to that part of the commune
cation IN reference to the charge on and cap
cure OF Fort BlakeIy. He says that the Sec
Ohd DIVISION OF the sixteenth Corps did the
work that at the time che charge was or,fered
the Second Division of the Sixteenth Corps
was nearer the fort and had been nearer turf10
the Siege OF Blakely than Gen. Steele's Division
and that consequently the order was frst given
to Gen. Steele's Division to charge; that the
Second Division was in a position where they
could hear and see all, and that as soon as the
order was given the Confederates raised the
yell, aud many Of them got up on top Of che
line OF Publications and commenced such q
terrific IRE that Steeles Division faltered and
halted in confusion, when the command WAS
given to the Second Division of the Sixteenth
Corps and they went into the fort with Gen.
A. D. smith in their rear urging them on as
none other could, they driving the rebels into
the river and shooting many Of them after
they were in the water.
Now, there are some Of the 11th Mo- living
IN this nelghbOrhOOd and at that time tina nth
was connected with the Second Division of the
sixteenth Corps. These old veterans were
there. There are also some here who were
members of the nth H., which was one of the
regiments composing the First Brigade Third
Division, Thirteenth Corps, also present at thas
charge. When the Mobile campaign of 1866
was lnaugurated the Thirteenth Corps-at
least the Third Division commanded by Gen.
Benton-started from Fort Morgan up ths
peninsula, ON st Patrick's day in the morn
ing" the 18th of March. We understood that
Col. Bertram's Brigade was in our advance. i
do not know what division or corps it belonged
to. About the same time Gen. A. j. Smith,
with the Sixteenth Corps, embarked on trans
ports at Fort Gaines and Gen. Steele left PEN
sacola, all arriving at the same objective point
Mobile, Ala.
We first came up with Smiths Corps at Fish
River, and then they were on our right On
the 9th of April we closed our lines around
Spanish Fort, with Col. Bertram's independents
Brigade on the left of our Thirteenth COrps,
their left resting on Mobile Bay. On our right
was Gen. A. j. Smiths Corps, with the right
resting on what believe is or was called
Iensas River or Bayou. In this position our
nnes remained during the siege of Spanish
Fort, which lasted some Is days
About the time we invested Spanish Fort.
Gen. Steele with his division began the siege
OF Fort Blakely, 10 miles distant from Spanish
Fort, and on the opposite side of Tensas River,
with his left resting on the river opposite Gen.
Smiths right
About noon on April 9, the day after the
C0niederates evacuated Spanish Fort, which
was some time during the night of April g. va
were ordered to move to Blakely TO support
steele. My understanding always has been
that Gen. Smiths forces received the same
order at the same time, and all marched IN
there, arriving at shutdown. About the time
we got there the charge was ordered. Tt
was only Of short duration but was terrible,
and there was heavy firing of both small-arms
and artillery. 1t is also true that the COnfeder-
ates were driven into the river and many were
shot while in the water, but it was done by
Gen. Steele's men, and to Gen. Steele and his
brave command belong the honors. Gen. Steele's
force consisted mostly of colored troops, and
the negroes at that time knew full well the in
veterate hate of the Southern soldiers for them.
and their cry was Remember Fort Pillow"
The next day they were the proudest men
ever saw, either black or white. They thought
they had vindicated the honor of the black
soldiers.-H. j. CONOvER, Sergeant-Major,
both H., LOami, ILL.,